


to being an us for once (instead of a them)

by IrreverentFangirl



Series: making something out of nothing [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Derek "Nursey" Nurse is Unchill, F/F, Lesbian Character of Color, Multi, Open Relationship, Platonic Relationship - F/M, Platonic Relationship - F/M/M, Polyamory, Trans Female Character, lmao we just met her & i’m already in love, unrequited feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 14:51:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10538712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrreverentFangirl/pseuds/IrreverentFangirl
Summary: Angela Ford wasn’t sure what she had been expecting when she applied to be SMH’s new manager, but it definitely wasn’t a best friend and a girlfriend.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ok, so "angela" is ford - the new manager. until ngozi Blesses™ us w/ ford's first name, that's what i'm going with. 
> 
> lots of thanks to [princeofthebees](http://princeofthebees.tumblr.com/) who's the best kind of bro, and beta'd this.

_To riding your bike,_  
_Midday past the three-piece suits_  
_To fruits - to no absolutes-_  
_To Absolut - to choice-_  
_To the Village Voice-_  
_To any passing fad_  
_To being an us for once ... instead of a them!_

**_Rent La Vie Boheme_ **

It had been less than a week since the interview and Lardo had invited Angela to the Haus, giving her a chance to bond with the team. A hint of anxiety turned her stomach as she reached up to knock on the front door of the Haus only to be greeted, within seconds, by a familiar-looking tall, light-skinned black guy. “You’re Ford, right? The new manager.”

  
She nodded, craning her neck so she could grin up at him. God, tall people were the bane of her fucking existence and gave her neck pain - why had she wanted this position again? “Yup! My first name’s Angela, though.”

  
“Eh, it doesn't matter. You’ll have a nickname soon enough. Come on in, the team’s in the kitchen. We had a kegster last night and it’s time for our hangover breakfast team bonding. I’m Nursey, btw,” he said.

  
She blinked as he stepped aside, letting her in, before shrugging and following him to the kitchen. “Um, why will I have a nickname?”

  
“Because you’re a member of the team, cutie. We all have nicknames.”

  
Angela almost froze where she stood, as she felt a cold wave of discomfort splash over her. “I’m a lesbian,” she blurted. She instantly regretted it.

  
Nursey stopped just outside the door of the kitchen and arched a single, perfectly-formed eyebrow. “Cool,” he said. “It’s always ‘swawesome to get another queer person on the team. Wait, shit, are you cool with the term queer?”  
  
Angela blinked at him. “Um, yeah? It’s cool. Wait, you don’t care?”

  
“Of course not. I have two moms and I’m, y’know, pansexual,” Nursey said, snorting. “But if you don’t want me calling you cutie, it’s chill. Now, come on, Bits made french toast and it’s time for you to meet the, uh, main part of the team.”

  
He strode in the kitchen, leaving Angela behind him, perplexed. Deep in her stomach, a seed of warmth grew. Maybe this guy was actually...not an asshole. Slowly, a smile spread its way across her face and she moved to scurry after him.

  
Twenty minutes and a bunch of introductions later and Angela learned that that the team was both exactly what she imagined a men’s hockey team to be like - brash, loud, and kinda gross - and nothing like it - kind, family-like, and super open.

  
There had only been eight people at the breakfast. Nursey, who had let her into the Haus; Lardo, Bitty, and Dex, who had been the ones interviewing her; Holster and Ransom, the hella emotional bros from her interview; Chowder, a super sweet and infectiously cheerful Asian guy; Tango, a white boy who asked a lot of questions.

  
Angela found that she actually really liked all of them. They were a good team.

  
“So, Angela, what’s your favorite animal?” Tango asked.

  
Angela screwed up her face. “Hmm, foxes? I’ve always kinda loved them? Sneaky and small, like me.” Bitty and Lardo both snorted and knuckle-bumped before offering her simultaneous high-fives.

  
“Short folk solidarity,” Bitty said, winking at her. She grinned at them and slapped the palms of her hands against theirs.

  
Suddenly, Nursey smirked. “Holy fuck, guys. I know what Ford’s nickname should be.”

  
Angela looked at him, raising her eyebrows. “What?”

  
“You should totally be Foxtrot, brah! We have a Tango and a Whiskey - we need a Foxtrot. It makes sense, anyways. Your last name starts with a F and you like foxes!”

  
There was a moment of silence before everyone grinned and Angela barked out a sharp laugh. “I like it,” she said, leaning back in her chair.  
…  
It took less than a day for Foxtrot to catch on as her nickname. Angela didn’t mind, at all (it was much better than what the theatre kids and the rest of her family called her, which was Angie).

  
“So, Foxtrot, how’re you liking the team?” Lardo asked Angela as they were sitting in her room at the Haus, going over some paperwork.

  
Angela screwed her mouth up. “I like them,” she said after a moment. “They remind me a lot of my brothers.”

  
Lardo smiled lightly, pushing her hair behind her ear. “Good. They’re good kids, all of them.”

  
Angela snickered. “Aren’t you, like, only a year older than Bitty?”

  
Lardo snorted. “Yup. Doesn’t matter, though, they’re my boys. They’re all kids. Fuck, I’m pretty sure I’ve called Jack ‘kid’ once, or twice.”

  
Angela’s eyebrows furrowed. “Jack?”

  
Lardo’s eyes widened a bit and she shook her head. “Wow, I kinda forgot you’re new. Jack would be Jack Zimmerman, one of our old teammates. He graduated last year. He’s also twenty-six years old.”

  
“Hm, cool,” Angela said. “Any other team members I should know about?”

  
Lardo snickered. “Yeah, Shitty Knight. He’s my...something. My best bro. He also graduated last year and is now going to Harvard Law. You’ll see him at Graduation. Fuck, you’ll see Jack then too.”

  
“What does Jack do?”

  
“NHL. He just finished his rookie year with the Falconers - I’m proud of the asshole, too. He managed to get the A,” Lardo said, a fond smile playing on her lips.

  
Angela stared at her blankly. “I have no idea what that is,” she admitted after a moment.

  
“He’s one of the Captains for a NHL team,” Lardo explained. “Shit, Foxtrot, I’m gonna get Rans to give you his hockey glossary doc - he made it fuckin’ forever ago, for his girlfriend. But, you can’t be manager and not know the lingo.”

  
Angela scrunched up and her face before pushing her glasses up her nose. “Yeah, okay. And good for Jack, he sounds cool.”

  
“Yep. He’s a big boy playing in the big league now.”

  
Angela giggled to herself as Lardo snickered. Wow, she really liked this, hanging out with Lardo.  
…  
Angela wasn’t sure what was more exhausting. Herding her theatre kids, or herding the hockey boys (she was still leaning more towards her theatre kids, but these boys weren't the calmest either).

  
“Hey Foxy, wha’cha up to?” Nursey asked as he flopped down next to her in the library. Angela wasn’t sure how he managed to look like a sleek cat with his ridiculously long limbs sprawled everywhere, but he somehow definitely did.

  
“Don’t call me that,” she said automatically, before looking down at the papers Lardo had given her the night before. “And I’m doing some practice-paperwork for Lardo, she wants to make sure I’m ready to do this next year without her.”

  
Nursey laughed and shook his head. “Eh, chill, Foxtrot. You’ll be fine. Lardo trusts you - we all trust you. Plus, I’m sure Lards will be happy to answer any questions you have even after she graduates.”

  
“Thanks, Nurse,” Angela said, smiling.

  
“No prob, brah.”

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me at [my tumblr](http://nonbinarydereknurse.tumblr.com/), where i am constantly screaming about omgcp, and always ready to talk <3


End file.
